The Muse of
Brews
October/November 08 Column
Fall brings Oktoberfests, harvest beers, pumpkin beers and the start of the heavier brews, traditionally. And although Oktoberfests are mostly in September, if you hurry, the 2nd annual Oktoberfest at the Buckeye Beer Engine is still going on through October 5. They have a large selection of Oktoberfest beers as well as German food specials, so hurry in. The Beer Engine has recently added a Sunday breakfast with a wonderful menu, including beer service, starting at 10 a.m. Check out the menu at their website (www.buckeyebeerengine.com). The fall also brings a resumption of their beer and food pairing dinners on Tuesday, October 7, featuring Dogfish Head beers and a six course meal. (You won’t miss this if you read the menu in their email newsletter!) In November the dinner will feature Sierra Nevada beers. Check the web or subscribe to their email list for more details. Tickets are $50. Their Pumpkin Fest starts October 24 and runs through Halloween, featuring pumpkin beers of course. Lastly the Beer Engine will have their Harvest Ale Festival on Friday, November 14, with lots of fresh hopped ales and harvest beers.
Cleveland Chop House and the Cleveland Rock Bottom have a new brewer, Bryan Shimkos from Kansas City. Former brewer Scott Gukel is California dreamin’ at a Rock Bottom near San Jose. Rocky River Brewing Company also has a new brewer, Jim Lieb. He will be adding some of his recipes to their line up, having brewed at former Hereford and Hops near Pittsburgh for nearly 3 years. He has a Chemistry degree from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and also attended the American Brewers Guild craft brewers program. Welcome to Cleveland, both of you!
And what of Matt Cole, former brewer at Rocky River? He’s working on opening a new brewery called Fatheads Brewery and Saloon. Watch for details and opening date in the next issue!
New brewery, Indigo Imp, has received their licenses from the state and brewed their first batch. No word yet on when and where to taste it. Watch their blog for more information: www.indigoimpbrewing.com
Hoppin’ Frog Nites Out are happening Tuesdays after work! On the first Tuesday of each month, sample Hoppin Frog beers at Siamone's Thai/American Pub in Springfield, in the Gala Commons at 2215 East Waterloo Road. The menu includes some of the best Thai cuisine in the area, and also Italian and American food. Then on the fourth Tuesday of each month, there is another Hoppin’ Frog Nite Out at Cleats, 1019 E. Turkeyfoot Lake Road (Route 619) in Akron. Hoppin' Frog is also hosting a Beer Pairing Class to benefit the Akron Art Museum on October 23 from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Food selections from West Point Market, and personalize your own beer stein to take home and enjoy! Advanced registration is required - cost is $30 for members, $40 for non-members. For more info call them at (330) 376-9186 x229.
The 11th Annual Microbrew Extravaganza, will be held on November 7, again at Massimo de Milano in Cleveland from 6 p.m. until midnight. This is always a fun night with live music, good food, door prizes, raffles, and microbrews from local breweries. This is a benefit for the Free Medical Clinic. For more information and tickets, check www.thefreeclinic.org or call (216) 707-3405.
Zanesville’s Weasel Boy Brewing Company just happened to be in the neighborhood near one of my work assignments last month. I was impressed! The place, despite its high ceiling “factory” look, with the brew kettles and fermenters in the same room, was cozy, comfortable, and friendly. There is a bar, a few tables, and a living room grouping of sofas and chairs. Local artists’ work is displayed around and is for sale, including stained glass weasels! Nine of their beers were on tap plus a guest beer. I tried them all, and especially liked the Polecat, Pilsner, Dancing Ferrett IPA, the Blackfooted Porter, and the Royskatt Amber. The latter was unusual with its malty sweetness on the front, transitioning to a hoppy bitterness with a hint of spicy notes. Wonderfully complex beer! They were out of the Anastasia Russian Imperial Stout, but there is a 2007 batch that they will be tapping in time for Halloween. Not only worth a visit, but Weasel Boy is worth a trip to Zanesville. If you’re hungry, Muddy Miser’s Cool River Café is right next door.
The BREW Kettle will host its 5th Annual Halloween Party on Saturday, October 25. Great prizes awarded for best costumes, special pricing on seasonal drafts, smoked prime rib for dinner and lots of ghoulish fun for everyone! Check out their website for all the details at www.thebrewkettle.com.
Distribution to Ohio bars and restaurants begins in October, and you will soon find your favorite Ringneck beers at local “better beer” bars. Styles to watch for include Olde 21 Imperial IPA, 4 C's Pale Ale and Copperhead Red Ale, and come the holiday season, the Winter Warmer spiced ale. Their Oktoberfest, which won the People's Choice Award at the recent Cuyahoga County Fair in September is on tap and will be distributed throughout Ohio, as well.
Well, summer is about over, but it’s not too late for a visit to Kelleys Island Brewery. I visited a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed a bicycle ride around the island followed by an afternoon outside on the patio listening to live music, enjoying a Dawg Bizkit Brown Ale (or two), and eating Walleye. The Gale Force IPA was temporarily out, but the Angler’s Ale, an English style bitter, soothed the hop cravings of my companion.
My travels this summer also found me in Maumee, checking out the Granite City Food and Brewery. While not technically an Ohio brewery since the beer is brewed in Iowa and shipped to Ohio for the finish: adding yeast, fermenting, and hopping, if necessary, I found the beer quite drinkable. Of the five beers on tap, I chose the Broad Axe Stout. The combination of Maris Otter malt, roasted malts, oatmeal, and subtle chocolaty notes, made for a very good creamy stout. They also had an IPA, a light lager, a bock, and a wit beer on tap.
I’m finishing up this article from my hotel room in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, so maybe you’ll forgive me for not checking this one out yet, but my sources tell me there is a new brew-on-premise called the Beer Factory at 2799 Copley Road (at Jacoby) in Akron. It’s also a place to drink good beer with twenty great, not run of the mill beers. It’s shared space with It’s Your Winery if you’d like to make your own wine, too.